String-holder for violins



(N0 Model.)

J. D. LOPPENTIEN.

STRING HOLDER FOR VIOLINS.

Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

- IEZ/nEESES- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHANN D. LOPIENTIEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRING-HOLDER FOR VIOLINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,518, dated August 4,1885.

Application filed May 28, 1884. (No model.)

To a whumit may concern/.-

Be it known that I, J OHANN D. LOPPENTIEN,

a citizen of the United States,'residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in String- Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improvement in string-holders on violins and other musical instruments of similar form and construction; and it consists in a metallic plate attached to the knob, by which the string-holders now in use are held by a wire or string, which plate being bent over to the top of the violin is divided or cut, leaving four narrow thread- ]ike strips, extending toward the bridge, that are suitably prepared for an attachment of the strings of the instrument, as will be fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to increase the power of tone of the violin by greater vibration of the strings and a reaction upon the bridge.

The accompanying drawing represents my invention.

A represents a metallic plate that has near its end a hole, B, for the entrance of a knob, by which the plate is to be fastened to the end of the violin on a line with the neck. The plate is bent over the upper edge of the instrument toward the bridge, its flat side bearing against the edge. At a short distance from the bend the plate A is lengthwise cut, so as to only leave four narrow elastic strips, D, of even width, and nearly the thickness of which the strings pass to within the distance of the string-holders now in use, and have an enlargement, G, with a slotted hole in each for the insertion and attachment of the four strings of the violin.

The strips D are kept from touching the body of the violin by the strings attached to them, so that the plate A, from its bent portion forward, remains free from contact with the violin. The metallic strips, being thus made to elongate the strings, partake of the vibrations imparted to the strings by the bow when played upon, and byareaction produced by the intervening bridge the attached ends of the strings and the strips D combined increase the power of the instrument.

In the foregoing the violin only has been mentioned as the instrument to which the de scribed string-holder is to be applied, but I claim the same for all stringed instruments that are played by the use of a bow.

Having thus described my invention I claim A metallic string-holder composed of the body A, and four slotted fingers, D, having slots in their free ends for the attachment of the strings, substantially as shown.

I11 testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, JOHANN D. LOPPENTIEN.

Vitnesses:

Louis Monsnn, 1e. STAUFFER. 

